HEATWAVE

Biography

Heatwave was an international funk/disco band formed in London, England, in 1975 by American serviceman Johnnie Wilder Jr., who began performing in West Germany while enlisted in the U.S. Army. After his discharge, he stayed in Germany, singing in nightclubs before relocating to the UK, where he connected with English songwriter/keyboardist Rod Temperton via a newspaper ad. The band, initially touring London's nightclub circuit as 'Chicago's Heatwave,' refined a sound blending disco beats with rich funk grooves, adding Johnnie's brother Keith Wilder on vocals from Dayton, Ohio. Signing with GTO Records (Epic in the US) in 1976, they released their debut album Too Hot to Handle with producer Barry Blue, featuring hits like 'Boogie Nights.'[1][2]

The band's classic lineup included Americans Johnnie and Keith Wilder (vocals), Englishman Rod Temperton (keyboards), Swiss Mario Mantese (bass), Czechoslovakian Ernest 'Bilbo' Berger (drums), Jamaican Eric Johns (guitar), and Englishman Roy Carter (guitar). Despite tragedies—rhythm guitarist Jesse Whitten was stabbed to death before the debut album, Mantese was stabbed by his girlfriend in 1978 leaving him blind, mute, and paralyzed, and Johnnie Wilder became paraplegic in a 1979 car crash—Heatwave persisted. They released Hot Property (1979) with producer Phil Ramone and continued with hits like 'The Groove Line' and 'Always and Forever,' establishing themselves as one of the disco era's funkiest acts.[1][2][3]

Lineup changes followed, with Carter leaving for production work and the band reforming sporadically. Silent after 1982, the Wilder brothers returned in 1989 with Sound of Soul, and Keith Wilder reformed Heatwave in the 1990s with new members for tours and a 1997 live album Live at the Greek Theater. Known for their cosmopolitan grooves, Heatwave's legacy endures in retro dance circuits, with remixes like a 2002 'Boogie Nights' revival.[1][2]

Fun Facts

• The band was truly international: vocals from Americans (Dayton, Ohio), keyboards from England, bass from Switzerland, drums from Czechoslovakia, and guitars from Jamaica and England.[1][2]
• Original guitarist Jesse Whitten was stabbed to death in Chicago before the debut album, replaced by Roy Carter.[1][2][3]
• Bassist Mario Mantese was stabbed in the heart by his girlfriend in 1978, awoke from a coma blind, mute, and fully paralyzed, yet chose not to press charges and lived with her afterward.[1][3]
• Founder Johnnie Wilder Jr. became paraplegic in a 1979 car crash but continued studio work; the band endured multiple tragedies yet produced hits.[1][2][3]

Members

• Ernest Berger
• Derek Bramble
• Roy Carter
• Calvin Duke
• Keith Harrison
• Eric Johns
• William Jones
• Mario Mantese
• J.D. Nicholas
• Rod Temperton
• Johnnie Wilder, Jr.
• Keith Wilder

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Barry Blue - GTO house producer and session guitarist who shaped their early studio sound (Too Hot to Handle (1977)) [1976]

Key Collaborators

• Rod Temperton - Core keyboardist and primary songwriter (Too Hot to Handle (1977), Central Heating (1978), Candles (1981)) [1975-1981]
• Keith Wilder - Co-lead vocalist and brother of founder Johnnie Wilder Jr., joined for fuller vocal sound (All major albums from Too Hot to Handle onward) [1976-1980s, 1990s reformations]
• Phil Ramone - Producer for later albums after lineup changes (Hot Property (1979)) [1979]
• Derek Bramble - Replacement bassist after Mario Mantese's injury (Hot Property (1979)) [1979]

External Links

• Spotify
• Wikipedia
• MusicBrainz

Tags: #classic-pop-and-rock, #disco, #funk